Under The Ringo Tree
by MC25
Summary: After recovering from her depression, Hinata is ready to make the move that she was incapable of making before... on Naruto. Fluffy story, and Hinata is really ooc, but please read anyway. I enjoy reviews! :


Under The Ringo Tree

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Note: this is my first Naruto fan-fic so go easy on me for any errors, also all reviews are appreciated.

Brief synopsis of what happens in previous story (will be written later as a prequel

Hinata finds out that she suffers from chronic depression, which the doctor claims, is unusually complex and severe. Hinata goes through a long and painful recovery. She eventually becomes a new Hinata, who is bold, brave and wise.

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(Hinata Finds Naruto under the tree)

"I'm such a failure..." he cried under his tree ever so quietly "... I'm so damn weak..." he could not bear the cruelness of this terrible world and remain so energetic and cheery as he always is without letting out his pain in this secret space that was the ringo tree. Hinata and him were the only ones who knew it even existed. It had to be kept secret, no one could be allowed know that he was so emotionally crippled. On the outside he was usually able to replace that with a personality that led people to believe that he was only mentally handicapped.

"Poor Naruto ..." Hinata thought sadly. "There is not a person in the world who is close to you... and no one quite understands your loneliness." Hinata began to think about all that Naruto had ever done for her, and how little she had really done to him. Upon thinking this she nearly burst into tears as she used to do so much, but she forced herself not to do so. "I remember when you used to cry like this everyday in the academy... whenever you were rejected from playing with the other kids, or whenever you failed a test.

"If there is anything I can do for my poor Naruto ... then it would be to help ease his loneliness." she slowly started towards the ringo tree where Naruto was. He was about to run and hide, so she would not notice his presence... until he heard her quietly saying

"Hello Naruto-kun ..."

Naruto, not knowing that Hinata had been there, showed her his red sobbing face, "Hinata ... does it look like I'm in the mood to talk right now?" He then placed his head back down into his knees, and hid his face with his hands. He had simply assumed that Hinata had gone away... until she sat down next to him and put her arms around him.

"I am your friend Naruto, tell me what is wrong and I will give my all to make it better for you. I promise I'll understand."

"There is no way you can comprehend it. Its just too much to take in within one sitting."

"I promise to stay and listen, and i promise to understand completely."

"How could you possibly understand?"

Hinata smiled a little bit, as she had spent long nights thinking this answer over, to the question that she knew he would ask, however she dared not let this smile become too large, for it would be disrespectful to smile before one who is in pain.

"Because Naruto-kun ... I know the story of your life. I know the hardships that you deal with and the suffering that others put you through every day. You have been a reject since you were born and you don't know why." Hinata laid her head into Naruto's stomach. "You once loved a girl named Sakura, but you failed to gain her affection and ultimately gave up on her. Now that you have given up on her you realize the obliviousness to others cruelty that your obsession with her has caused you."

Hinata smiled a little, nuzzling herself against his stomach. Naruto just sat there mesmerized at how well she was actually depicting him.

"There is one thing that i don't get though, you surround yourself with friends, who would give their life for you... some of which almost had given their lives for you, and yet you feel lonely. Why?"

Naruto frowned, fighting back tears said "Because they aren't really my friends. Those times that they risked it all for to save my life, was to protect the village... not me. Its the will of fire." Naruto lost the fight between him and his tears and they began to roll down his cheeks. "When all is well, there is no fight for me. I am not viewed as equal, my opinion doesn't count. All they do is make fun of me... and anyone who belittles another is not friends with them. Those people don't care."

Upon hearing this, Hinata sat up, and moved right in front of Naruto, looking him directly in his eyes, and said "Naruto, your such a loser." Hearing this Naruto looked like he had a part of him shattered, like he was about to break... like he was ready to die.

And in the middle of his self-worthlessness... in the middle of his helplessness... Naruto felt something that he would not have expected in a million years. Hinata had held his head up, and pressed her warm lips against his cold wet ones. He felt frozen he didn't know what to think, weren't they just friends? Why did she call him a loser? Why did she kiss him just now? With his mind racing and a thousand miles per hour, he did not dare move on the outside to break the kiss. While confusing, it felt... good. It made him feel truly happy, and dumb. They remained there for the rest what seemed like forever, without moving a muscle.  
When she finally separated, she said to Naruto "As you can see, words don't always reveal the entire story behind ones feelings Naruto-kun, you have to dig past them." but she didn't see that Naruto was blushing, a lot.

His whole body had turned red. "H-hinata I th-thought that we were j-just f-f-friends? W-why?" Naruto said, stuttering heavily.

Hinata smiled "You will never be alone... I will always be your friend in any situation. If you just ask me to take my life, then I shall do so on cue. Naruto-kun I..." she was about to say the 3 most stupid words when she realized that Naruto was not conscious

At that point she realized that Naruto fainted, face bright red, and with a confused smile on his face. Hinata looked at this and thought to herself "How nostalgic, its almost as if we've switched places." At that point Hinata realized how lucky she was. Not just because she now had a fighting chance with Naruto, but also because he had fainted right before he started saying the weirder creepier part of her confession. She was especially glad that he never heard her whisper. "I love you..." into his ear. She knew that if he had heard her, she would feel uncomfortable around him forever, because until just now, they were only simple friends.

She smiled down on Naruto and laid down right next to him with her arms wrapped around his chest. Holding him as close to herself as physically possible.

(SHORT POV SWITCH NARUTO'S)

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After a short period of unconsciousness, I came to... only to hear these three quiet words whispered into his ear. In a state of shock, I couldn't even move upon hearing those words. I didn't even open my eyes. "Is this why..." I thought to myself "... is this why she always acted so weird around me? Stuttering and fainting and all?" My heart began to beat faster "Because... she loves me?" "Maybe I should stay still like this so that i can find out more."

And then without intending to do so... I spoke ultimately blowing my cover "Th-thank you... Hinata."

(BACK TO THIRD POV)

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"Your awake?" Hinata said with some surprise. "...I mean... whenever I fainted I was always out for at least an hour."

"I tend to snap out of unconscious states quicker then most... and my body regenerates itself so well that neither it or I ever appear tired."

"...wow..."

"You weren't expecting a coherent answer, were you?"

"To be honest... no."

Naruto sighed fighting back a tear, could the only girl who loved him in the world think that he was an idiot, just like everyone else? He just laid back down with a defeated look on his face and his eyes closed.

Hinata noticed his reaction, and suddenly felt a bit depressed again. Had she made him feel even more horrible instead of making him feel better? "I'm sorry for that... I should leave you here now."

"Don't go Hinata!" Naruto grabbed her sleeve with both hands "Don't leave me here... I... I need someone right now." Hinata looked at him with a faint smile. He was the strongest ninja she had ever known... and yet he was more frail then even herself.

"Alright, I'll stay here... but only under one condition."

"Whats that Hinata?"

"You have to take me out for Ramen later today, just you and me!"

"You know what, I think I'd like that." Naruto said, his smile restored.

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(That same day, all of the rest of the Konoha 11 returned to the village)

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Sakura - "Hey Kiba, I thought you said that Hinata was too shy to even get near Naruto."

Kiba - "Well yeah, she's always been like that. Why do you ask?"

Sakura - "Because Hinata and Naruto are eating ramen together at the same table. She's not even blushing!"

Kiba - "Yeah right. Akamaru tell them where those two really are, cause Hinata is not that bold."

Akamaru - "BARK BARK!!!"

Kiba - "WHAT! You've gotta be kidding me!"

Shino - "Why don't you just look for yourself? Its not like the two are so far away from where we are standing."

Kiba - "They... they are... holding... hands?"

Lee – "Do not trouble yourself so much Kiba, for the springtime of youth hold many opportunities for all of us, so long as we are patient and graciously receive the fruits that it bears. Sadly, your opportunity with Hinata is gone, but your beautiful life with Ino has only recently begun to blossom!"

Kiba - "Shut up eyebrow freak... you don't know anything about this."

Lee - "Am I wrong?"

Kiba - "... no... and thanks."

(Back to Naruto and Hinata)

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Hinata stared contently into Naruto's eyes, smiling happily because she had finally accomplished her lifelong goal. "It was so sweet of you to take me to dinner Naruto. We should do it again sometime!" she said in a bubbly and cheerful voice. Naruto looked back with a bit of surprise "Seriously? Even after seeing the way I eat?" Hinata giggled at his response. "I don't care how you eat. I don't even care where you take me as long as its someplace where we can be alone together." she rested her head on Naruto's shoulder.

He just smiled and kissed her forehead while wrapping an arm around her waist "If you want we can go to my house after this and just chat for a while. In my house there are no other people to disturb us like there are in a restaurant." Hinata got unexpectedly exited, and started to scream in squeaky voice like some fan-girls do yelling "Take me now! Take me now! Take me now!"

Naruto chuckled at Hinata's s schoolgirl-like behavior "Alright Hinata ... but only under one condition..." "Whats that?" "Stop wearing that dumb sweater. Its so heavy that its easy to forget that there's a beautiful girl under there." Naruto said with a dumb smile. "Yeah... but... well... theres... I'm not wearing anything under it." Hinata said, blushing like crazy for the first time in months.

"Well... I could take you shopping for a new shirt, its only normal for a boyfriend to treat a girl to some free stuff." Hinata was so shocked and happy that her heart skipped a beat. "You... you will be my girlfriend right?" Hinata jumped on top of Naruto screaming "Yes!" over and over between each barrage of kisses. In the middle of Hinata's attack, Naruto placed his money on the counter and picked Hinata up. "Lets go shall we?" Even though he wasn't full yet, he felt that this was his best coarse of action.

As Naruto carried his Hinata to the apartment in which he lived, all of his sorrows truly melted away. "Hey Hinata ... lets meet under the ringo tree again tomorrow. I don't want that to be a place of sadness anymore." "I will Naruto-kun. We will make that your happy place from now on." Naruto smiled and continued walking while Hinata continued babbling about how happy she was and how perfect this day was. Naruto thought to himself "Here I am carrying a raving lunatic to my home while having a half empty stomach for the first time in years... and yet I couldn't be happier."

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_RQMC25: Hello! Thank you for reading my first Naruto fan-fiction! Please give me a review telling me what you thought of it. I accept constructive criticism and I take all suggestions into consideration. If you would like to see a specific pairing in my next one-shot then please email me to pitch your idea. bye bye for now ;  
_


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